Security systems, such as for homes and businesses, have become commonplace as people seek to protect themselves and their property. A security system includes any life, safety and property protection system. The security system typically includes a central control panel that communicates with a number of sensors via a wired or wireless path. The control panel has the ability to notify local emergency services and/or a remote monitoring station of an alarm condition via a telephone dialer to the remote monitoring facility or local emergency services. A communication network device, such as a modem, allows the control panel to send and receive information via a communication link to a communication network. The communication network is usually a telephone network and the communication link is a telephone line, however, the control panel can also send and receive information via a computer network, such as the Internet. The computer network may include a DSL or cable modem, and a network interface card, for example. In addition, a dial-up telephone connection may be used. Other communication paths such as long-range radio or a cellular telephone link have been used. The dialer is typically hardwired to the control panel and activated by the control device.
The central monitoring station is staffed with operators to monitor incoming communications and to determine when an alarm is set by a monitored security system. The operator contacts emergency services such as fire or police personnel in the appropriate municipality by telephone to report the alarm.
In response to a received message, the central monitoring station processes the message and performs the necessary response. The messages from the respective security systems may include identifiers that identify the security systems. Generally, the remote facility can maintain data regarding the identity of one or more security systems that are to be notified when a specified occurrence is detected at one or more other security systems.
The central monitoring station includes receivers and transmitters for communicating with different security systems via one or more networks. The receivers receive messages via a communication link from the local individual security systems. Each receiver is connected to an automation system. The automation system is typically an automation computer. The receivers are connected to the automation computer by an automation computer port.
The control panel at the local security systems periodically transmits status information to the receiver at the central monitoring station. These periodically updated transmissions are called status reports. The status reports typically occur at a predetermined interval, which can be controlled by a configuration computer located at the central monitoring station. Additionally, the local security system can call the receiver periodically to transmit other types of information. The control panel transmits both the status (test) reports and the calls to the receiver using a dialer in the control panel. However, sometimes the dialer malfunctions and continuously transmits calls and reports to the receiver. This causes an increased flow of traffic into the receiver and into the automation system.
Therefore, there is a need to prevent this increase in the flow of traffic in the case where the dialer is malfunctioning or in the case where the local security system transmits-information, data or calls the receiver at a higher rate then expected.